


The Tale of Jessie McCree

by Zevran08



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Child Soldiers, Deadlock are domestic terrorists, Father-Daughter Relationship, Parental Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-15
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-11-30 15:00:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11466012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zevran08/pseuds/Zevran08
Summary: Jessie McCree’s life is never uneventful: Growing up during the Omnic Crisis, gaining a rather infamous name in Deadlock, joining Blackwatch. Watch her story from early childhood to the fall of Overwatch, and see how she became the gunslinger we know today.





	1. Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> The reason I am using a cis gendered female Jesse McCree is cause I wanted to explore the character archetype when applied to a woman, rather than a man, as the archetype is played to death, but as a woman, it has potential to be viewed wildly different, and I am not smart enough to write it from the perspective of her as a transwoman. Maybe in a future date, when I have more info and points of view, if the idea is still in my head I’ll explore that, but currently that is not on the planner.

“Fuck I’m cold.” A man in his mid thirties murmured to himself, the howling wind and the creaking sheet metal of the makeshift shacks being the only sound to accompany him. He stood watch for Refuge, the sanctuary for those seeking safe haven from the Omnics. A stronger gust of wind bit at his skin, he griped his poncho closely to his chest. He leaned back in his chair, having unscrewed the thermos in his hand, he took a slow drink of coffee to warm himself up.

The full moon on the white desert ground gave the area a soft glow that allowed him to see farther and more clearly than he would on any other night. If something approached the town, he would have seen it.

In the distance, something caught his eye. He picked up his hunting rifle, aiming down the scope, he was greeted by 6 glowing red lights. He cursed under his breath. “Omnics!” With one word, the calm and quiet sanctuary was gripped in panic.

* * *

A little girl curled herself into a ball trying to hang onto sleep even as the sounds of chaos from outside reach her ears as well as the sounds of her parents rushing about their shack. Eventually, her mother approached her sleeping form and shook her awake.

“Jessie, wake up!” Her mother exclaimed, the fear in her voice was very apparent.

The girl groggily woke up, eyes struggling to stay open. “What is it Mama?”

Her mother’s arms gently clasped around her shoulders “Remember when we first came here we told you we may have to leave here fast? Well now is the time.”

At this, the little girl stood up, messy dark brown hair falling in front of her face. Her mom tied it in a low ponytail behind her head, Jessie wished it could have matched her mother’s long braid, but they didn’t have the time.

While Jessie greatly resembled her mother with similar full lips, sharp brown eyes, and tanned skin, their fashion greatly differed. Her mother kept to her roots, wearing a bright red serape over a letter vest. Jessie wore a simple short sleeved shirt over a long one, with dark blue jeans. 

Her father opened the door and reminded them they had to leave right now. His hair unkempt, bits of grey appearing. His flannel shirt being heavily patched up by himself or his wife. And with that, they rushed out the door together.

Out side, Jessie could see families rushing out of their homes. Taking their loved ones and what few belongings they still had left and moving as fast as they could to leave the town. Her mother pulled her along, drawing her attention away from the other people.“Hurry, Mija! We have to keep moving!”

They followed many of the families fleeing the town. But as they passed the gates, Jessie’s family parted from the group, going on their own.

Jessie moved quickly with her hand in her mother’s as they followed her father through the desert. The light of the moon allowed them to see just enough to follow the landmarks to their hidden cave.

Jessie shivered and hugged herself tightly, desperate to keep warm in the desert night. Her mother took off her serape and put it on Jessie. “Here Mija, wear this to keep warm.”

It reached to her ankles, blocking most of the wind. It was a simple design, golden hexagons run along the lining while the rest was crimson red. Jessie gripped it from the inside, tightening it to her frame.

* * *

 Her father lead them to a cliff-face. Hidden behind a few small shrubs and rocks lay the entrance to a cave. As they entered the cave Jessie could see a few boxes of rations, a small portable stove, a few cases of water bottles, three or four boxes of bullets, and three sleeping bags.

As Jessie was led to the back of the cave, her father paused. He peered around the corner of the cave, spotting two glowing red lights in the distance.

Her father reached into his duffle bag and pulled out a pistol. As he loaded it, he looked to Jessie and spoke.

“Jessie, sweetie, stay here in the cave.”  
He looked to her mother and gave her a quick nod before he headed out.

Jessie’s mother bundled her up and made sure she had a drink before she went to sit at the mouth of the cave; a revolver of her own in her hand as she kept an eye on the landscape outside.

Minutes turned into hours, no sound beyond the occasional coyote. Jessie’s mother started to tap her foot in impatience. Worry gripped her heart, she stood up and shook Jessie gently.

Jessie sleepily looked up at her mother.

“Mija, I’m going to look for your father. Stay here until I return, do NOT leave the cave.”

She kissed her forehead and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face.

“Remember what we taught you?”

“Hide from omnics, defend myself as a last resort.”

She forced a smile to her face and nodded.

“I’ll be right back Mija, I love you.”

Jessie watched as her mother took her own dufflebag, dumping out her clothing and replacing them with a few rations and water bottles. She then stepped out of the cave and disappeared into the night.

She shivered, each noise from outside caused her to tense. She gripped the red serape and held it tightly, hugging herself, hoping her parents returned soon.

She tried to fight her exhaustion, wanting to stay awake until her mother returned, but she drifted off to sleep. She isn’t sure how long she’s been asleep, but when she woke the sun was well into the sky and she was still alone in the cave.

She looked around the cave, searching for any sign that her parents may have come back at some time during the night.  
The water, the rations even the bullets lay in the same positions, undisturbed since her mother had left her the previous night.

She wanted to leave, to call out to them, hoping to find them… But she knows it’s dangerous, so she bites her tongue, but the loneliness hurts each minute.

Finally, Jessie’s impatience gets the better of her fear and she grabbed her small bag, having stuffed in a couple ration bars and two water bottles.

She wouldn’t be gone for long, she rationalized, and she’d just come back after a little while if she couldn’t find her parents. But at that moment, she couldn’t stand to stay there any longer without having tried looking at least once.


	2. From Bad to Worse

The mid-morning sun's rays beat heavily down on Jessie's shoulders. Though it was not yet  noon , the heat had already become unforgiving.

Sweat started to bead off of her face, the heat starting to get to her. The low whistling wind her only accompaniment in the search. Dust picked up around her feet, collecting on her clothes.

Jessie reached into her bag and pulled out one of her water bottles. She took a large gulp from it before closing it up again and stowing it back in her pack.

 Scanning the expansive horizon, nothing stood out to her. Tumbleweeds flowing with the wind, grand rock pillars and plateaus, but no sign of her parents.

Jessie looked back to the cliff face where the cave was. At this distance she could only just make out the markers that showed the entrance to the cave. If she went any further she might not be able to see it well enough to make it back.

She glanced down at the serape she wore. After a moment she looked back out into the distance away from the cliff-face and resolved to keep going. She might not be able to find her way back to the cave so easily, but it was more important that she find her parents. After she found them, then they would worry about shelter.

* * *

 She gripped the serape, wishing her mother and father were here. Her mind traveled to the day they first arrived at Haven. Her mother wore this very serape - it was a family heirloom, one of the few things they kept when fleeing from the omnics.

It wasn't even a year ago that they were living in Albuquerque, and her biggest concern was whether her first grade teacher was going to give her a hard time for speaking Spanish with her friends. It felt like so long ago to her now, after being on the run from the omnics for months, moving from camp to camp. It was like another lifetime entirely.

Her father, Jonah, wished to make sure that they'd be safe in an emergency. At first mom thought it was paranoia of a policeman, but after the omnics attacked, their escape and hiding drills came in handy.

Their old home became torched. Bastion units matched through, annihilating all in their path. Her parents kept pushing her forward, to not turn back, but she heard every scream... Every explosion... Every bullet.

It was hard to sleep the first few nights.

In the time since they had to flee their home, Jessie had come to see a different side of her parents. For the first time she had seen them scared, uncertain, filled with worry, or even paralyzed by indecisiveness. They tried to hide it from her most of the time, but she could hear them talk when they thought she was asleep, and they couldn't always keep their faces composed when their plans fell to pieces.

With each survivor they passed, a new rumor was given to them: scavenging locations, armories, food, shelter. Many were disregarded as lies or old info, but one was repeated over and over... Refuge. A safe haven for those hiding from the omnics. It sounded too good to be true, but they had to risk it, even a small chance of safety was worth it.

When they had finally made it, the town had been a godsend for them. They had a reliable and relatively safe place to stay for the first time in a long time. For two months Jessie and her parents lived safely behind those walls, and now, chances are Refuge was completely gone too.

She was tired of running, tired of hiding, above all, Jessie wanted a home which she didn't have to fear being discovered. To be able to wake up, not worrying about the omnics, food, supplies... She wanted a normal life again.

As Jessie continued walking, she was snapped out of her train of thought by a rattling sound. She looked down and saw the coiled body of a very agitated rattlesnake. Keeping her eyes on the hissing reptile, she tried to slowly back away from it. Unfortunately, when she stepped back her left foot slipped into a small hole, causing her to twist her ankle and fall down. The sudden movement caused the snake to lash out, and Jessie felt a sharp pain in her other leg.

She screamed in agony as the snake unlatched its jaws on her leg. She hurriedly crawled away from it. When she was a decent amount of distance from the rattler, she looked at her leg in fear, knowing what just happened.

 Panic gripped her, breath became labored, unaware if that was the venom or fear. The wound constantly ached, pulsating as blood dripped from the two puncture holes.

Jessie tried to remember what it was her parents had told her about dealing with rattlesnake bites, but panic blocked out her thoughts. She became disoriented and her head felt heavy. Her vision blurred and the ground seemed to sway, for a moment, she thought she could see the silhouette of a couple people in the distance.

 "Mom...Dad?" It came out as little more than a mumble as she passed out.

Darkness muddled her vision as she faded in and out of consciousness. A blurry figure stood over her, voices were hard to make out. "Can you help her?" Grumbled noises came in response as her eyes closed again.

They opened again, struggling to speak, hearing the same voice "Rest, you're in good hands." Regardless, she had no energy, and faded out again.

As she came to again, she tried her hardest to keep her eyes open. But she felt something prick her wrist. Nowhere near as painful as the snakebite, but the pressure is there. 

Soon her muscles felt heavy, her sense of touch was fading. Before going back into sleep, a man in white appeared. 

"There, that should calm her down." 

Unable to speak, to question what was happening, to keep awake. She succumbed to the anesthesia, the gentle pulsing of some mechanical beeping being the last thing she hears.

* * *

 Jessie isn't sure what time it was, or where she was when she woke up, only that she could feel the softness of a real mattress underneath her.

It was so comfortable, she almost felt like drifting off again for a few more hours, but the rhythmic, mechanical beeping of a heart monitor just to her right pulled her out of the last dregs of slumber.

She attempted to stand up, but the soreness in her leg made her yelp in pain. No matter her attempts, she couldn't get out of the bed on her own.

Looking around, she could see medical equipment, unsure of what it all did, surrounding the bed. The walls were not white like a typical hospital, instead red with flower petal designs. The chairs and coffee tables in the far end made it feel more like a house.

 It was only a few minutes later when she saw a man enter the room. He was tall, with dark skin and dark braided hair; he had an older face, seemingly around her father's age. He wore blue scrubs and had latex gloves on.

 As he walked in he noticed she was awake.

"Morning, feeling any better?

Jessie stumbled over her words "I-Who-Where am-..." Unsure where to start first.

"Take it easy there, hon. I'm gonna check your vitals. Then how about I see about getting you something to eat?"

Jessie's stomach grumbled, not knowing when the last time she ate. She tentatively nodded.

"W-where am I?"

"You're safe for now. After I get you some food, someone will come along who can better explain."

After testing her pulse rate, blood pressure, and other vital info, he looked to her. "All good. Now, I'll be right back, OK?"

He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder before turning and walking out of the room.  
It wasn't too long before he returned this time followed by another man. The new arrival had light skin, light brown hair, and looked to be the same age as the doctor. He wore cargo pants with a kahki jacket and black combat boots.

"So, our guest is awake." The mysterious man began, his voice low and gruff. "Are you OK? What's your name?"

Jessie wasn't ready to tell the men in front of her who she was just yet. She still didn't know where she was, and more importantly, where her parents were.

"Let me start. My name's Bishop. I'm the leader of a group of survivors. This kind man is our resident doctor, James. He also goes by Knight."

Jessie raised an eyebrow, looking between the two of them slowly.

"Is everyone in your group a chess piece?"

The doctor, Knight, stifled a laugh.

"Smart mouth, I like her."

Bishop rolled his eyes, releasing a sigh.

"We were out on a scouting run, checking for omnics near the area. We ran into you. You were collapsed on the ground, a rattlesnake bit your leg. We rushed you back here and Knight saved your life."

"Oh, thank you." Jessie said. "My name is Jessie McCree, I was looking for my parents. Did you happen to see anyone else out there?"

"We didn't see anyone else out there. But I promise you, we'll go out and try to find them. In times like these, all you have is family." He gave a reassuring smile.

"Can... Can I go with you?"

Knight stepped forward and spoke up.

"It'll have to wait a day or two. It's good she's awake now, but I don't want her trying to walk on her leg just yet."

Bishop nodded in acknowledgment then turned to Jessie and spoke.  
"We can wait the couple days if you really want to go with us, or I can go and look for them on my own right now. Which sounds better to you, kid?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted her mother's serape folded up, cleaned. She reached for it and hugged it tightly.

"Please, Mr. Bishop sir... Find my mom and dad."

"Don't worry, hon. We'll do everything we can." Bishop and Knight made their way out of the room, but just before exiting, Bishop looked back over his shoulder and spoke.  
"One more thing, just call me Bishop. No 'mister'".


End file.
